Tuesday, December 31, 2013

This New Year’s Eve morning I cycled once more on my Schwinn 150 another 20.7 miles. And I am thinking about my resolutions for the upcoming 2014.

My total miles now equal 7,539.6. All-things-being-equal I have another 1,073 miles remaining in my Trek back to Tampa. At my current rate of 20.0 miles a day I should be pulling into Tampa on February 22, 2014. I have two months to concoct my next adventure.

This morning I am located somewhere on TX-321 S and I am just about at the intersection of County Road 303. The Google Maps’ image is now just about six years old. Comparing to current images it certainly shows us how much digital photography has come such a way since.

I am not necessarily a regular Walmart shopper. Occasionally I will run in to our local Walmart if I need some item but that is so not the case. I also have NEVER ordered online from Walmart. Why would I need home delivery when there is an actual store about a mile from where I live, on the other side of the highway?

This morning I received Number 2 email reminder that I did not provide Walmart, spelled both Walmart and Wallmart in the body of the email, with my correct address for order number WM-003247489. The author of the email would like me to fill in an attached form “and send it back to us.”

A link to the form was included in the first email, which I deleted yesterday. Today’s email does not have any link or any attached form. What am I to do?

The originator of the second email from the Arrowhotel.com in Nebraska writes that “If your reply is not received within one week, you (I) will be paid your money back but 17% will be deducted since you order (and NO I did not make a typo) was booked for Christmas holidays.”

This one is intriguing. Yesterday Japan and Nigeria, today Nebraska, a (heaven forbid) dying sister and Walmart. Pray tell what do these two have in common? And what is 17% of nothing?

Work continues on our BW 1950. We are just about to begin the construction of our BW 2010. A-New afghan throw is progressing. Colors remind me of one of the high schools I from where I graduated.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Another goal accomplished this morning; 7,518.9 miles. I cycled 20.8 miles on my Schwinn 150.

My virtual location this morning is at I-69/US-59 S/U.S. Hwy 59 S on my way to Wonderland Drive. I am just southwest of the City of Shepherd, Texas; population 2,400, give or take. I am now about 1,100 miles away from my home address in Tampa.

Julia Cameron in her books mentions “synchronicity”. The first definition that appeared when I searched the Internet from Merriam-Webster was “the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality —used especially in the psychology of C. G. Jung.”

Okay cue the Twilight Zone music. Yesterday, in a conversation, I mentioned someone from my past of whom I had been acquainted with just about 20 years ago. I stated that I had not had, no was there any need of, any connection with that specific person. Well, this morning I was skimming and reading some local news articles, and to my wandering eyes what should appear but an article centered about and concerning, with images, of the exact same person I had been discussing. Is there a reason for the connection? Hell if I know. Does Julia Cameron’s “synchronicity” become a part of my vernacular? Hell yes!

And yes I completed my 750 Words, my morning pages. To date in December I have written 22,925 words. In 174 days I have completed 132,674 words. And these do not include the words I write for my Blogs.

Okay is it because I have not answered any of the previous emails that the amount of money has been reduced? This time only $5.2 million. And I did not know that I had a “dying sister” named Mrs. Rosalind Caldwell. Nor did I realize that I did have an immediate sibling who lives in Japan. Her email address indicates that she may be or have been an employee of AT&T in that country.

It appears that Mrs. Rosalind Caldwell is my alleged younger sister, which of course I never knew that I had. I was never informed that there had been another immediate blood member of our clan. Also the widow Mrs. Caldwell; her husband, a UN Peacekeeper who was killed in the civil war in Côte d’Ivoire, is “sadly” dying from cancer and at 61 years old she is not capable of bearing any children due to some “Fibroid Disease” which affects my (her) Womb.”

Yes another bright and early morning “419” email scam. It is an “Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam” which may be originating from Nigeria or some other country in Africa. I’m sorry Mrs. Rosalind Caldwell. You better find another brother.

Season Four, Episode 8 of The 4400 is an interesting one. The plot is a number of players, that is, actors from both camps who are playing a game against the computer controlling their building location. Interesting, but I do think that a similar story line was used, or vice versa, in the series Stargate. (And I watched all seasons of that one.)

Sunday, December 29, 2013

It is a beautiful dreary day in the neighborhood. Yes it is overcast in Tampa and the clouds are low. This morning I cycled 21.5 miles on my Schwinn 150. I am now just shy of reaching my next goal of 7,500 miles.

This morning I have made it to the north of the Town of Livingston, Texas. Population is about 5,400. I am now about 83 miles from my 36th Interlake address goal.

And I got the BS email vocal ad from a site called FixYourBlood Sugar dot com. It is the newest of newest snake oil salesmen come on and bs ad. Obviously the powers that be behind this ad may be taking record of how long someone, like me, listens to the bs and vocal advertisement. And I keep saying - Get to the bloody point. Hurry up and stop wasting my time. But I have to give him credit for actually spending the time trying to think that he is educating me.
So he says that all the information out there about carbohydrates is wrong and that the issue is insulin resistance. And I’m waiting for the kicker, the drug and the cost. The factor is insulin sensitivity… Here it comes. The key clicker is coming.

1. Cinnamomum Cassia 250 mgs twice a day;
2. Berberine, from India… And why do they quote things from supposedly renowned publications that I have never heard of…
3. Pterocarpus Marsupium, from India… BUT he states that one shouldn’t stop there
4. 4-hydroxyisoleucine (4HI), also from India…
5. R-Alpha-Lipoic-Acid… Again the quotes from Germany

Five researched backed ingredients… will do the trick… And here comes the easy part, all with the bs of their credentials and research, BioTrust Nutrition. And here comes the made product that only they at BioTrust can do for me. I expect the Marine Corps Brass Band to begin the background music. And here it comes. All the credentials of the production… but still no actual mention of the product. And the BS is getting greater and great. Here it comes – IC-5, the BioTrust product…

And I did NOT, I repeat have NOT ever used IC-5 or taken two IC-5s. And now comes the where I can get it and how much I have to fork out. But just wait, he tries to state the financial and health cost that I will continue to pay out if I continue on my current path.

Here it comes… and now… and now… but the bs just keeps piling up... And it keeps going, on, and on, and on. And here comes the money back guarantee. Get to the bloody point. And on and on, about cost… Today for a 30-day supply is $69.00. BUT WAIT…A table is about to show, and if the table does not appear it means that the products have run out.

And yes I was a fool to listen to the complete recorded vocal recording. I think I will go outside and dance in the rain…

Just asking... Has anyone calculated a possible corresponding time one may spend on the phone, if there was never the existence of a social media facility like Facebook?

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Today I got up late. That doesn’t happen too, too often. So this morning I was late starting my cycling. And my Schwinn 150 just sat there beckoning to me. It appeared to be saying to me to move my ass and plot it down on the seat and get cycling. And I did.

This late morning I cycled 20.6 more miles on my Schwinn 150. My total to date is 7,476.6 miles.

Well my waist measurement is still holding at 32”. But, and this one is at JG; I definitely need to do something to tone up the flab. Wonder how hard that can be at 62 years? My new pre-New Year’s resolution; begin a series of morning sit-ups. (Now this one I dread.)

Today I am located, still in Texas on US-59 S. I have just passed Bryan Lane and I am still headed, more or less, in a southerly direction to my next Interlake address location. I am just about to come upon the City of Corrigan. The red dot on the above Texas county map is approximately where I’m at.

The 4400 Episode 5 has being building up to where some of those who have taken promicin, which has been outlawed, have migrated together. There are shades of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, seemingly, incorporated into the plot line.

Once again, I can say that watching a series or a movie, without any commercial breaks, is my definite secret to keep my daily cycling habit going.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Up and at ‘em, Jim. Today I cycled 21.9 miles on my Schwinn 150. Total miles now equal 7,456.0. I think I can see 7,500, no pun intended, just around the bend.

My Trek now has me located, virtually, just south of the City of Lufkin, Texas; population about 35,100. Accordingly, Lufkin is in Deep East Texas…As opposed to Shallow Texas? I am now headed south on US-59 S/U.S. Hwy 59 S/S 1st St.

New learning for me this morning. On the Smithsonian Channel I watched, while cycling, the 2008 production, The Accordion Kings: The Story of Colombian Vallenato Music. A competition, in Columbia, when once every decade musicians battle for the title of Accordion King. The heart of the music is the Vallenato, pronounced By-ye-na-to. Wonder where I can get an accordion?

Oh and it appears that I am just about getting into the range of the wild turkey. I think I have a craving for a Turducken.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Yes I’m back on my Schwinn 150. You know it could have been just as easy not to get on and attempt another 20.7 miles. On the day after Christmas, Boxing Day north of the 49th Parallel, I have now completed a total of 7,434.1 miles.

This Trek has me now moving in a southeasterly direction in Texas. I am headed to my next and 36th Interlake address goals. This morning I am located at the intersection of US-69 S/Rusk Street and Wright Patman Drive. My 36th goal point is just about 150 miles away.

I have some questions. Why do people and governments get uptight regarding the simple act of remembering the passing of those who are no longer here? Is it that there is a concern that those present cannot learn from the past and move on? Is it the concern that those who cannot judge for themselves be as “sheep who have gone astray”? Is the human mind and sense of reasoning is compared to that of a lowly ovine?

Did you know that there are now about 7 million wild turkeys in the United States?

The 4400 continues to be my viewing companion. This morning especially, as I wasn’t interested in cycling even though I did, watching The 4400 kept my mind attuned to what was happening on the TV screen and I was not focusing on “how long will this bloody exercise take?”

Our Vanderbilt afghan was completed. It is now at its new home in Florida. Check Afghans SB for details.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Panic, panic. I went to turn on my PC this morning and NOTHING. My beast would not turn on. Damn! I quickly disconnected everything and packed it into my car and headed to Citrus Computers. Exactly what I expected. The power source had died. And now I wait. Christmas Eve and I may be without my prime means of communicating, my PC.

Okay I am now on my Notebook. I will cope without my databases and my new constructions to my blogs for a short bit.

And so I cycled 20.3 miles on my Schwinn 150. This Christmas Eve morning of 2013 I have now cycled a total of 7,413.4 miles.

This morning I am located on US-69 S. I passed through the City of Rusk, Texas and I am headed in a southeasterly direction.

Well my PC is back in the house. I have picked up the flock of turkeys. I am calm.

Monday, December 23, 2013

The first thing I did this morning was to realize that the verticals blinds were on schedule to be replaced and fixed. Next I discovered that the air conditioning unit was on the fritz; it would not turn off. And Christmas is a’coming and the turkey is getting fat.

I panicked. More money out the door for repairs. So I just sat down and wrote my morning pages. I just wrote and wrote the words that came to mind. Took me about 20 minutes to reach my daily target of 750 words.

Nice Christmas present. Vertical blinds over French Doors, company installed over 10 years ago, had to be sent in to be fixed as all the coordinating pull cords had broken. Invoiced billing - 1 cent. Seriously. Thank you Empire Today.

I called my air conditioning service to schedule an appointment. We scheduled a time today and while on the phone, the heaven-sent representative asked me if I had checked the “auto-on” switch. Nope. And guess what? Gift number two. We cancelled the scheduled appointment.

Thank you morning pages.

This late morning, on my Schwinn 150 I cycled 21.0 miles. My total miles equal 7,393.1.

I am heading south on my Trek on TX-110 S toward County Road 4719. My next Interlake goal address is about 188 miles away.

Enjoyed last night supper of Russian Cabbage Soup. Definitely something that I would make again. Check out Jim’s Gotta Eat.

And our BW 1950 quilt and wall hanging is taking shape. Still not sure that it looks like who it supposed to be. But it is an abstract. Check out our progress at Quilts SB.

Almost finished the last edging to our new Vanderbilt afghan. Damn it looks good, if I can boast. Will be posting complete details at Afghans SB in a couple of days. It is a secret.

And I received a very nice and impromptu email from Mr. Jeremiah Adams. Mr. Adams claims to be a civil servant and the director in charge of auditing and accounting of the African Development Bank in Cotonou, Benin, Republic of West Africa. This time the gift is a mere $9.5 million.

You should notice that I have not capitalized Mr. Adams’ titles and position. Neither did he in his email. His email is quite a lengthy missive that extols the possibility that if he, that is, Mr. Jeremiah Adams, does anything above board there may be a problem. And, I’m paraphrasing just a wee bit, Mr. Adams is looking for a sucker, “i got your impressive information through our banking search.” Plain and simple. I guess he, Mr. Adams, that is, can see the word “SUCKER” tattooed plainly on my forehead when he spies at me through my net camera.

Okay, okay, it would be nice to receive a $9.5 million dollar gift just on the eve before Christmas. Mr. Jeremiah Adams, who wrote the email with a France address, writes explicitly that “May i at this point emphasize that this transaction is 100% risk free…” But how can I trust someone who never capitalizes his occupation or his constant use of the pronoun “i”, (him). Even my PC wants to automatically capitalize it to the correct “I”.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Today I cycled 21.5 miles on my Schwinn 150. And yes I am continuing through this holiday season. The blood sugar is up to 110 this morning, but of course I am pigging out on treats and other types of Christmas goodies. So I burned 668 calories and I cycled for 1 hour and 5 minutes.

I reached my 35th Interlake goal address. It is a community southeast of Tyler, Texas called Interlake Hills. My goal point is the “B” marker in the image. I am now 993 miles from my home point in Tampa, Florida. Just think this journey, this Trek is soon done. I then turned and headed back north to a point where I will be headed southeast on TX-64 E toward County Road 293.

One the first Christmas Carols I learned; Grade 3, Dorval Gardens, Montreal... A very nice memory.

A new orchid blooms on the patio. This flower is so, so delicate. I am enthralled and bewitched.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

This morning I awoke and I mentally struggled whether or not I should get on my Schwinn 150. I did take yesterday off from cycling and I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday… And thanks to all for the well wishes.

And I would like to get one thing straight. Someone asked me if I thought whether this new year would incite reflections of “it’s all downhill from here”. My immediate response, “NO.” I stated that I have too much to do and learn. I am not ready to see the end of this journey. I am ready for new journeys, new expeditions; both real and virtual. I have not as yet thrown in the towel.

And so, as I was saying, I got on my Schwinn 150 and cycled another 20.2 miles. I have now only clocked 7,350.6 miles. (D.O., this morning I finished my 20.2 miles in 1 hour and 1 minute and I burned 664 calories. Needed to burn off the two Grey Goose Gimlets.)

My virtual Trek has me headed east on TX-64 toward Skyway Blvd. I am east of Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. I am now 21 miles from my next Interlake address goal. This will be my 35th Trek goal.

Sitting on one's porch and watching the sun set in Putin-land, is it possible to humanize speech?

Quote "Free speech is an endangered species..." Close-quote. Just wondering if SP knows with the “ ” represent.

Beware of wolf in sheep's clothing. "Ian Bayne’s resume resembles that of a founding father more than a contemporary American professional."

And while watching the next episode of The 4400, I was trying to figure out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. From the fictional and fantasy train of thought I was trying to figure out which and who was a part of which side. My train of thought immediately moved to the present day and the professed squabbling on some of the social media sites.

L. Frank Baum created four witches in his land of OZ; the good witches in the north and the south and the evil witches in the east and the west. In the first book both wicked witches are killed. Then a new wicked witch of the north is introduced in his second. Later I believe he added another wicked one. Well that is four wicked and two good witches. So the my question today is which witch is which? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

New coffeemaker made it to the house. Surprise. With surprise discounts and sales I saved $90.00. I am now obliged to get back on my Schwinn 150.

Friday, December 20, 2013

This morning, I decided to take the day off from cycling. I can’t cycle cause me Breville Keurig coffee-maker broke down. Got to brave the day and hit the stores in search of a new and replacement one.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

To be awakened by four bouncing, boisterous, barking, balancing on my belly mini canines…well you get the picture.

This morning I completed 20.8 miles in 1 hour and 5 minutes on my Schwinn 150. I have now completed 7,330.4 miles. And just thinking, but I now know that I have to complete 670 more miles just to say that I reached the 8,000 mile mark.

I am headed southeast on TX-64 E toward County Road 4410. I have about another 42 more miles to reach my 35th Interlake goal.

Can we be sure that social media will not soon take a leap to where Disney has been working? The realm and technology of DHI - Disney Host Interactive and Daylight Hologram Imaging. I am not a betting man but I would say that we may be seeing this sooner than we can imagine. What will become reality and what will be the virtual reality? Oh, and I will just continue my Trek. Or is that Tom Hanks just shaking hands with the real Walt? Who are the Kingdom Keepers?

Disney's new attempt to find a new Harry Potter series?

Recently I was asked “Why the Interlake goals?” My immediate response…it is my method that I have set for myself in order “to make fun” the idea of doing a Trek, mind you virtual, while at the same time actually exercising and getting a reasonable daily work out. I am now cycling, in the real world, an average of 20 miles each day in just over a daily hour. My virtual Trek has been to set some goals that were somehow removed from the actual and physical goals that, to me, were somewhat arbitrary. I just had to do the exercise…my age and the doctors seemed to concur. So why not make it in some way, fun, and eliminate the tedium of exercise.

The 4400, my Trek viewing companion: A wedding, a conspiracy edge by a company under the government's auspices fighting against the government's department which is trying to protect those from the one's who are hired by the government that are attempting to squash the movement. And if that makes sense, a key character returns.

Four Vanderbilt panels have been attached. Afghans SB is now a definite two-part effort.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

This morning on my Schwinn 150 I cycled 20.5 miles in 1 hour and 5 minutes. I have now topped 73,00 miles, actually 7,309.6.

I am currently located on TX-64 E/Corky Boyd Avenue. It appears that I am headed in a southeasterly direction toward Canton, Texas. I’m coming up on Hackberry Lane. I must be truly in the back country as from the image on Google Maps which was taken almost seven years ago certainly shows it.

This morning the spirit of giving and Christmas and Chanukah and Kwanza and Festivus and whatever else must be in the air especially in the wires of Internetland. We must truly pray for her speedy recovery. That is, for the recovery of the saintly Mrs. Debra Whitman who from her hospital bed was able to hunt-and-peck me a quick message that she hoped first that I was feeling fine. (Such a true heart at this holiday time of the year…) Well dear Mrs. Debra Whitman must be feeling in such a merry, merry way that she is willing to forgo her hospitalization and would like to share with little ole me a paltry sum of $45.3 million dollars…in the spirit of the season “to Use for charity.” I wonder just how she, via her Hotmail address, is just tightly sitting, or maybe lying down, “needs your (my) help with, waiting to hear from you (me)”? Such a Merry Christmas… Not!

Once off my Schwinn 150 I made myself a Strawberry Banana Smoothie. Ingredients: frozen banana, frozen strawberries, strawberry banana yogurt, ice and water. This will keep me until lunch time.

The 4400 is just at the stage of Season Three and including the episodes that I have to try to remember which sub-plot is which. It is somewhat confusing if anyone just jumps into any random episode and the viewer would not be able to keep in touch with what is going on. It's sort of like The Game of Thrones where there are so many things going on that it only makes sense to begin watching from the beginning.

Work continues on both BW 1950 quilt and wall hanging and our Vanderbilt afghan.

Just wondering, after an encounter while walking The Pack, as I age will I truly think that I have the right to have my opinion be the only one that counts?

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

As I had to have some crowns replaced this morning, (no not my cardboard Burger King ones), my day is somewhat skewed. This afternoon I completed 23.1 miles on my Schwinn 150. Today is the 366th day that I have been cycling. Happy leap year. And on this 366th day I have cycled a total of 7,289.1 miles.

I began cycling on my Schwinn 150 on December 2, 2012. Over this period I used my Schwinn 150 every single day excepting 16. Not bad for this old coot. I can only guess what I am going to do when I start my 63rd year this Friday.

I cycled this afternoon to just east of the City of Terrell, Texas, population about 16,000. I am located on E Moore Avenue. Virtually I do have to get back to Tampa, and that means that I have about 1,070 miles left to go. All-things-being-equal I should get back home at the beginning of February.

On this year anniversary of cycling I have lost 12” on my waist. My stats are now –

Monday, December 16, 2013

This morning, in the crispy Tampa air, I cycled an additional 21.6 miles on my Schwinn 150. My total has now reached 7,226.0 miles. Today I wanted to start my day, get my 750 Words and my cycling done. Done.

Today I reached my 34th goal in Plano, Texas. This time my goal is on Interlaken Drive, a close and near match of address to mine in Tampa. I said hello and good-bye and continued on along my Trek. My next 35th goal is about 120 miles away. And so I go on, physically and in a virtual world.

I’m not sure where I'm going to and where I am but I am definitely northeast of Dallas. From my map it looks like I am headed northeast on TX-66 E/Lakeview Parkway toward Dalrock Road. I think I am somewhere between the City of Rowlett and Rockwall. Rowlett is a city in Dallas and the City of Rockwall is a suburb. I can see a McDonalds where I am located, and I stop for lunch. Is it true that wherever one goes in this continental United States one is almost guaranteed of finding a McDonalds and a Walmart? Takes the fun out of exploring.

Supper last night was a Quick Shrimp and Chorizo Paella. I followed a Food.com recipe, with some adjustments. I'm not sure what a 1 ounce packet of vegetable soup mix is and so I substituted some other spices and just left out the additional chemicals. If I say so myself, it was damn good…and there’s a great deal of leftovers. Guess what’s for supper tonight?

Not saying that I am a chocoholic, but today is Chocolate Covered Anything Day. This of course takes me back to my school days in Nassau when I was dared to eat chocolate covered ants. I did... And I can still recall that I was not necessarily turned on to chocolate covered ants. They came in a can and they tasted of oily chocolate with a smattering of thin crispy cardboard, which I think was the exoskeleton.

This morning’s viewing companion was a journey back in time, the Son of Flubber. Disney black and white but high definition’ed. Two characters at a Halloween party looked to me like the predecessors of two characters who appeared on Gilligan’s Island. There are a lot of recognizable actors in this movie that I just did not pay mind to the actual story line.

Our BW 1950 quilt and wall hanging has grown with more than 120 pieced squares. A good percentage of the squares are pieced triangles. It is now a whopping 8” by 10”. Check Quilts SB for updates.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

This morning I cycled 21.0 miles on my Schwinn 150. On the 362nd just before Christmas I have now cycled 7,223.4 miles.

Well and this morning I reached my 33rd Interlake address goal. Mayfair Lane in Highland Village, Lewisville in Texas. Okay I know that this is an Interlake goal but for the life of me I haven't a clue what the Interlake is doing in the middle of the road.

I continued on another 20.8 miles and I am traveling east on W Parker Road in Plano, Texas. I am at the intersection of Emily Drive.

Now on to number 34. According to Google Maps I only have another 2.0 miles to go to reach this goal.

According to USPS Tracking our two quilts, Blumish Two and Tampa Lightning left Tampa for West Palm Beach yesterday. Arrival deadline is next week. The World Quilt Show – Florida V is January 9-11 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Not much else to write about this afternoon. Work continues on BW 1950 quilt and Vanderbilt afghan.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

This morning I truly did not want to get on my Schwinn 150…but I did and I cycled a record 25.1 miles. I figured that I needed to just keep going until I thought that I had done enough. Today I have now cycled 7,223.4 miles.

This morning I reached the City of Denton, population of about 113,400 and I am headed to my next Interlake address goal point. From the Google Map it looks like I have made it to Highland Village. I am located on Castlewood Blvd and I am moving in the direction of Fairfield Lane. I am now only 0.2 miles from my 33rd Interlake goal. I think it is just around the corner.

When I heard the news that Bruce Kardashian, oh I mean Jenner, has decided to get rid of his Adam’s Apple, my first reaction was “Oh, he’s gonna be undergoing sex reassignment surgery.” Well, I do not know if this is synchronicity of what, but I turned on the TV to find my cycling viewing companion and what should be playing but Tootsie. Holy damn!

Okay, okay I do need something totally off the wall. Today is Monkey Day…and it is celebrated by acting like a monkey.